Budge-Free Hair Accessories

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for holding the hair and also the headwear stationary consists of a headwear, at least one comb piece, and an attachment mechanism. The headwear is made of a soft fabric material which can also be moisture absorbent. An elastic material allows the headwear to be worn conveniently. When the headwear is worn, the at least one comb piece secures the headwear with the user&#39;s hair. In order to do so, the at least one comb piece is attached to the headwear with the attachment mechanism. More specifically, a shaft of the at least one comb piece is attached to an inner annular surface of the headwear. Resultantly, the at least one comb piece will be positioned in between a top edge and a bottom edge of the headwear.

The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patentapplication Ser. No. 61/903,007 filed on Nov. 12, 2013.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to headwear and headaccessories. More specifically, the present invention is a hairaccessory that assists in keeping headwear stationary on a wearer'shead. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the teethedhair accessories are attached or integrated with headwear that is proneto unseating, slipping, and separating from the wearer's head.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Headwear and hair accessories are often worn for athletic, hygienic, andaesthetic purposes. Headwear and hair accessories are available in awide variety of styles and are often worn for cultural and religiouspurposes as well. Headbands are worn by athletes who wish to keep hairaway from the eyes as well as to absorb sweat before it reaches theeyes. Cooks and other food service workers wear hairnets in order tokeep hair contained and to prevent the hair from contaminating food.While headbands and hairnets are practical and utilitarian examples ofcommonly worn headwear and hair accessories, oftentimes headwear andhair accessories are worn for fashion purposes in order to round out anoutfit. Beauty headbands, hair wraps, bandanas, and do-rags are severalexamples of fashion headwear and hair accessories that are commonly wornto complement an outfit. While headwear and hair accessories areavailable in a wide variety for a diverse array of purposes, it isoftentimes a chore to keep the headwear and hair accessories in placeduring use. Headwear and hair accessories tend to become unseated, slip,and separate from the head. While some types of headwear and hairaccessories have means of retention on a wearer's head, oftentimes it issimply not effective in retaining the headwear and hair accessories onthe head. This is particularly the case for headwear and hairaccessories that are worn during physical activity, such as sweatbands.The present invention seeks to address the aforementioned issues as wellas provide users with a practical, convenient, and functional solution.

The present invention is a hair accessory that is designed to aid inkeeping headwear in place on a wearer's head. In its preferredembodiment, the present invention comprises a plurality of comb piecesthat is integrated or attached to the interior surfaces of headwear. Thenumber of comb pieces may vary based on the specific type of headwear.Furthermore, the teeth of the plurality of comb pieces may vary in termsof design and size as well. The present invention is not limited withrespect to the specific type of mechanism for attaching the teethed hairaccessories to the headwear. In the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the teethed hair accessories are sewn to the interiorsurfaces of the headwear that come into contact with the wearer's hair.

However, the attachment mechanism may vary based on the material andtype of the headwear used. The present invention is not limited withrespect to the specific material of the plurality of comb pieces aswell. However, because the plurality of comb pieces is worn inconjunction with conventional headwear, it is important that theaccessories are composed of a lightweight material.

The object of the present invention is to aid in retaining multipletypes of headwear in place on a wearer's head. The teethed hairaccessories are tucked into the wearer's hair as the wearer dons theheadwear. This effectively interlocks the teethed hair accessories withthe wearer's hair, preventing the headwear from unseating, slipping, orotherwise separating from the wearer's head during use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the headwear with the plurality of combpieces attached.

FIG. 2 is an isometric internal view of the headwear with plurality ofcomb pieces attached.

FIG. 3 is an alternate isometric view of the headwear with the pluralityof comb pieces attached.

FIG. 4 is an alternate isometric internal view of the headwear with theplurality of comb pieces attached.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the headwear with the plurality of comb piecesattached.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the headwear, wherein the plurality of combpieces is attached with non-toxic adhesive.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the at least one comb piece, wherein the combpiece is attached with the plurality of stitches.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the headwear, wherein the plurality of loops isattached to the inner annular surface.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the at least one comb piece being attached,wherein the plurality of loops are utilized.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the headwear, wherein the first fastener ismounted onto the inner annular surface.

FIG. 11 is a side view of the comb piece, wherein the second fastener ismounted onto the shaft.

FIG. 12 is a top view of the first fastener being engaged to the secondfastener.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describingselected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limitthe scope of the present invention.

As experienced by many individuals, unruly hair can be a majordistraction when engaging in daily activities. The present invention isan apparatus that can be used to hold a user's hair in place. Morespecifically, the present invention serves the purpose of a headwearwhich holds a user's hair steady to some extent. If a user is engaged ina rigorous physical activity, the traditional headwear has a tendency tomove about on the user's head. The effective design of the presentinvention allows the headwear to be stationary on the head while keepingthe hair still.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, the present invention comprises a headwear1, at least one comb piece 6, and an attachment mechanism 10. Similar tothe conventional headwear, the headwear 1 of the present invention isutilized to hold hair in place. The headwear can be, but is not limitedto, a headband, a cap, a hair cover, a bandana, and a bonnet. The atleast one comb piece 6 is utilized to keep the headwear 1 stationary onthe user's head. In order to do so, the at least one comb piece 6 isattached to the headwear 1 through the attachment mechanism 10.

The headwear 1 comprises an inner annular surface 2, and outer annularsurface 3, a top edge 4, and a bottom edge 5 as illustrated in FIGS.1-4. The size of the headwear 1 can be varied by changing the distancebetween the inner annular surface 2 and the outer annular surface 3 whenmanufacturing the headwear 1. Similarly, the size of the headwear 1 canalso be changed by varying the distance between the top edge 4 and thebottom edge 5. The effective design of the present invention allows theheadwear 1 to be used both as a fashion accessory and also when engagingin physical activities. In order to use the present invention as afashion accessory, the headwear 1 is made of a soft fabric material. Thesoft fabric material can be, but is not limited to, silk, cotton, andnylon. Similarly, the headwear 1 can be made of a moisture absorbentmaterial such that the present invention can be used when participatingin a physical activity. However, the headwear 1 also can be designedwith a soft fabric material which is also moisture absorbent.Furthermore, the present invention comprises an elastic material 16which is integrated throughout the headwear 1. The elastic material 16enables the present invention to be worn in multiple configurations. Forinstance, some users may prefer to wear the headwear 1 close to theforehead and other users may prefer to wear the headwear 1 differently.The elastic material 16 provides flexibility to all configurations. Mostimportantly, users with different head sizes and different hair stylescan utilize the present invention due to the elastic material 16.

As seen in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7, each of the at least one comb piece 6comprises a shaft 7 and a plurality of teeth 9. The shaft 7 is used asan attachment point in different embodiments of the present invention.The plurality of teeth 9 is utilized to secure the headwear 1 on theuser's head while securing the user's hair in place. In order to do so,each of the at least one comb piece 6 is positioned in between the topedge 4 and the bottom edge 5. When positioned, each of the plurality ofteeth 9 extends from the shaft 7 towards the bottom edge 5. Moreover,the shaft 7 is positioned adjacent to the top edge 4.

As illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, when a plurality of comb pieces 6is utilized, the plurality of comb pieces 6 is radially positioned aboutthe inner annular surface 2. The number of the plurality of comb pieces6 can vary according to user preference. When positioned, each of theplurality of comb pieces 6 will be equally spaced within the innerannular surface 2.

As mentioned earlier, each of the plurality of comb pieces 6 isconnected to the headwear 1 through the attachment mechanism 10. Morespecifically, the shaft 7 is attached onto the inner annular surface 2with the attachment mechanism 10. In doing so, an exterior surface 8 ofthe shaft 7 is adjacently connected to the inner annular surface 2.Depending on the attachment mechanism 10, the plurality of comb pieces 6can be either fixed to the headwear 1 or removable from the headwear 1.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention in which theattachment mechanism 10 is a non-toxic adhesive 11. The non-toxicadhesive 11 secures the plurality of comb pieces 6 against the headwear1. More specifically, the exterior surface 8 of the shaft 7 is fixed tothe inner annular surface 2 with the non-toxic adhesive 11. Since thenon-toxic adhesive 11 is not visible when the headwear 1 is worn, itdoes not affect the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the headwear 1.Using the non-toxic adhesive 11 is especially beneficial if the distancebetween the outer annular surface 3 and the inner annular surface 2 isminimal. More specifically, the non-toxic adhesive 11 can be used toattach the plurality of comb pieces 6 to a thin headwear.

In addition to using the non-toxic adhesive 11, the plurality of combpieces 6 can also be secured by sewing. When the plurality of combpieces 6 is sewn into the headwear 1, the attachment mechanism 10 is aplurality of stitches 12. The plurality of comb pieces 6 being attachedto the headwear 1 is illustrated in FIG. 7. As illustrated in FIG. 7,the exterior surface 8 of the shaft 7 is pressed against the innerannular surface 2 with the plurality of stitches 12. Attaching theplurality of comb pieces 6 with the plurality of stitches 12 isespecially beneficial when there is sufficient thickness in between theinner annular surface 2 and the outer annular surface 3. Furthermore,the plurality of stitches 12 can also be used to incorporate a design tothe headwear 1.

The needs of the headwear 1 can vary from one user to the other. Inorder to cater the varied needs, another embodiment of the presentinvention can be designed such that the plurality of comb pieces 6 isinterchangeable. In order to do so, the attachment mechanism 10 is aplurality of loops 13 as illustrated in FIG. 8. The plurality of loops13 is fixed to the inner annular surface 2 such that the plurality ofcomb pieces 6 can be inserted into the plurality of loops 13. Wheninserted, each of the plurality of teeth 9 of the plurality of combpieces 6 traverses through a corresponding loop 130 of the plurality ofloops 13. As a result, the shaft 7 will be pressed against the pluralityof loops 13. A similar procedure can be followed when inserting adifferent plurality of comb pieces. The different plurality of combpieces can differ in size and the number of the plurality of teeth 9.However, the different plurality of comb pieces is also secured in thesame manner.

In another embodiment of the present invention, wherein each of theplurality of comb pieces 6 is removable, the attachment mechanism 10comprises a first fastener 14 and a second fastener 15. As shown in FIG.10, the first fastener 14 is mounted onto the inner annular surface 2.Similarly, the second fastener 15 is mounted onto the shaft 7 asillustrated in FIG. 11. By engaging the first fastener 14 with thesecond fastener 15, the plurality of comb pieces 6 can be secured withthe headwear 1 as illustrated in FIG. 12. The first fastener 14 can be,but is not limited to, a hook portion. Correspondingly, the secondfastener 15 can be, but is not limited to, a loop portion.

Since some users prefer to wear the headwear 1 for a long time period,comfort needs to be a priority of the present invention. In order toprovide comfort, the plurality of comb pieces 6 is made of a plasticmaterial. The plastic material is lightweight such that the presentinvention causes no burden when worn. Additionally, the plastic materialadds more durability to the present invention. However, in anotherembodiment of the present invention, a different lightweight materialcan also be utilized.

When utilizing the present invention, the following process flow isfollowed. Initially, the headwear 1 is worn at a desired location. Theelastic material 16 allows the user to wear the headwear 1 at apreferred position. When the headwear 1 is worn, only the outer annularsurface 3 will be visible. Next, the user adjusts the headwear 1 suchthat the plurality of teeth 9 secures the headwear 1 with the user'shair. If the user is not satisfied with the plurality of comb pieces 6,the attachment mechanism 10 can be used to interchange the plurality ofcomb pieces 6.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment, it is to be understood that many other possiblemodifications and variations can be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for holding the hair and theheadwear stationary comprises: a headwear; at least one comb piece; anattachment mechanism; the headwear comprises an inner annular surface,an outer annular surface, a top edge, and a bottom edge; each of the atleast one comb piece comprises a shaft and a plurality of teeth; each ofthe at least one comb piece being positioned in between the top edge andthe bottom edge; the shaft being attached onto the inner annular surfaceby the attachment mechanism; the shaft being positioned adjacent to thetop edge; and each of the plurality of teeth extending from the shaft tothe bottom edge.
 2. The apparatus for holding the hair and the headwearstationary as claimed in claim 1 comprises: the at least one comb piecebeing a plurality of comb pieces; the plurality of comb pieces beingradially positioned about the inner annular surface; and each of theplurality of comb pieces being equally spaced within the inner annularsurface.
 3. The apparatus for holding the hair and the headwearstationary as claimed in claim 1, wherein an exterior surface of theshaft is being adjacently connected to the inner annular surface.
 4. Theapparatus for holding the hair and the headwear stationary as claimed inclaim 3 comprises: the attachment mechanism being a non-toxic adhesive;and the exterior surface of the shaft being fixed to the inner annularsurface with the non-toxic adhesive.
 5. The apparatus for holding thehair and the headwear stationary as claimed in claim 3 comprises: theattachment mechanism being a plurality of stitches; and the exteriorsurface of the shaft being pressed against the inner annular surface bythe plurality of stitches.
 6. The apparatus for holding the hair and theheadwear stationary as claimed in claim 1 comprises: the attachmentmechanism being a plurality of loops; the plurality of loops being fixedabout the inner annular surface; each of the plurality of teethtraversing through a corresponding loop from the plurality of loops; andthe shaft being pressed against the plurality of loops.
 7. The apparatusfor holding the hair and the headwear stationary as claimed in claim 1comprises: the attachment mechanism comprises a first fastener and asecond fastener; the first fastener being mounted onto the inner annularsurface; the second fastener being mounted on the shaft; and the firstfastener and the second fastener being engaged to each other.
 8. Theapparatus for holding the hair and the headwear stationary as claimed inclaim 1 comprises: an elastic material; and the elastic material beingintegrated throughout the headwear.
 9. The apparatus for holding thehair and the headwear stationary as claimed in claim 1, wherein each ofthe at least one comb piece is made of a plastic material.
 10. Theapparatus for holding the hair and the headwear stationary as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the headwear is made of a moisture absorbent material.11. The apparatus for holding the hair and the headwear stationary asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the headwear is made of a soft fabricmaterial.
 12. An apparatus for holding the hair and the headwearstationary comprises: a headwear; at least one comb piece; an attachmentmechanism; the headwear comprises an inner annular surface, an outerannular surface, a top edge, and a bottom edge; each of the at least onecomb piece comprises a shaft and a plurality of teeth; each of the atleast one comb piece being positioned in between the top edge and thebottom edge; the shaft being attached onto the inner annular surface bythe attachment mechanism; the shaft being positioned adjacent to the topedge; each of the plurality of teeth extending from the shaft to thebottom edge; the at least one comb piece being a plurality of combpieces; the plurality of comb pieces being radially positioned about theinner annular surface; each of the plurality of comb pieces beingequally spaced within the inner annular surface; and an exterior surfaceof the shaft being adjacently connected to the inner annular surface.13. The apparatus for holding the hair and the headwear stationary asclaimed in claim 12 comprises: the attachment mechanism being anon-toxic adhesive; and the exterior surface of the shaft being fixed tothe inner annular surface with the non-toxic adhesive.
 14. The apparatusfor holding the hair and the headwear stationary as claimed in claim 12comprises: the attachment mechanism being a plurality of stitches; andthe exterior surface of the shaft being pressed against the innerannular surface by the plurality of stitches.
 15. The apparatus forholding the hair and the headwear stationary as claimed in claim 12comprises: the attachment mechanism being a plurality of loops; theplurality of loops being fixed about the inner annular surface; each ofthe plurality of teeth traversing through a corresponding loop from theplurality of loops; and the shaft being pressed against the plurality ofloops.
 16. The apparatus for holding the hair and the headwearstationary as claimed in claim 12 comprises: the attachment mechanismcomprises a first fastener and a second fastener; the first fastenerbeing mounted onto the inner annular surface; the second fastener beingmounted on the shaft; and the first fastener and the second fastenerbeing engaged to each other.
 17. The apparatus for holding the hair andthe headwear stationary as claimed in claim 12 comprises: an elasticmaterial; and the elastic material being integrated throughout theheadwear.
 18. The apparatus for holding the hair and the headwearstationary as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least one comb piece ismade of a plastic material.
 19. The apparatus for holding the hair andthe headwear stationary as claimed in claim 12, wherein the headwear ismade of a moisture absorbent material.
 20. The apparatus for holding thehair and the headwear stationary as claimed in claim 12, wherein theheadwear is made of a soft fabric material.